9 Degrees
by ochotama
Summary: Roxas. A homeless boy of seventeen, singing on the streets to get money for himself. It's allways the same, day in day out. Untill a tall red head collapses on him that is. Axel/Roxas
1. The Meeting

Next chapter up!  
Did this during my Spanish lesson, foreign classes give me inspiration apparently...

Declaimer - Only in my wildest dreams.  
--

Roxas idly swung his legs from the wooden park bench he had resided for the night, holding his rucksack close to his small frame.

Eyeing a near by pigeon with disinterest, its beak pecking at Spooky's meal from the day before,

"No home, huh?" Roxas smiled as the bird cocked his head "Yeah me neither"

The business men and traffic had slowly trickled out in to the streets by the time Roxas had finally stuffed his overwhelmingly huge blanket back inside the depth of the rucksack.

"Come on spooky" Roxas motioned for a small black Spaniel to follow his hurried steps out of the secluded park.

Because Roxas knew what would happen if he stayed there any longer, things happened in that park, he had only resided in that area for a short amount of time, but it was always good to move, especially since a few things had gone missing from his bag over night even though they were not of any value to him, it still mattered.

Roxas walked slowly down one of London's long streets, Spooky following close behind only stopping briefly to sniff something of interest.

Just the daily routine, go out, earn money, maybe spend it then go find a bench or tunnel somewhere to spend the night.  
It had always been the same, nothing interesting ever happened, apart from the odd abusive comment here and there.

If he knew what was going to happen for the next few years of his life, why did he feel so... uneasy, like something big was going to happen, something that would change his repetitive life forever...

But it was probably only the approaching rain clouds over head.

"Hey Roxas" A lanky blond teen with a Mohican/Mullet smiled widely from behind the counter "You singing again?"

Roxas nodded and ushered Spooky in to the small cramped storage room that smelt faintly of hair gel,

"Spooky!" The blond exclaimed "its beef or..." He looked back in to the fridge "Pancake..."

Spooky sniffed both containers and looked back up expectantly

"Beef it is" Demyx laughed warmly and patted the dogs head "So... Roxas, can't tempt you?"

"What the Pancake or beef?" He asked crossing his arms amusedly

Demyx pouted and shuffled towards the bin,

"Well, there only leftovers so..." He tilted the tins towards the bin

"Okay!" Roxas cried out desperately "I don't mind, I'm sorry!"

Demyx raised an eye brow,

"So went hungry last night?" Demyx asked sadly fetching a plate from the near by cabinet "You need to stop doing this Rox, get a real job or something, find help your still just a kid"

"I'm fine!" He snapped "I'm seventeen, and I don't need help!"

"But-." Demyx shuffled his feet nervously,

"I'm not some pity case Demyx!" He growled "I've looked after myself perfectly well over these past few years"

"Roxas, I'm just concerned for you, you haven't looked so well lately" The dirty blond placed a plate gingerly in front of Roxas,

"I know Demyx, it's hard you know?" He ran a hand through his hair tiredly "Having to do the same thing over and over"

Demyx patted the boy gently, not being able to say anything of comfort seeing as he had no idea of what the blond was going trough.

A soft chime of bells went off in the distance interrupting the silence between the two boys,

"Hello?" A soft voice called out from the main part of the Café,

"I'm coming!" Demyx answered "Take your time back here Rox"

As the blond nodded the hyperactive teen ran off too great the customer,

"Welcome to Twilight Café!" His cheerful voice reverberated off the walls making Roxas wince,

"Well better get started" Roxas clapped his hands, standing up to collect an old acoustic guitar and a plastic cup,

"Good luck out there!" Demyx called as Roxas stumbled out of the door bumping in to a extremely tall man,

"Oh, hey Xaldin" Roxas smiled at the man above him,

He grunted in response and scratched his fluffy sideburns, waking up in the mourning to cook was never a good way to start his day.

"Xaldin!" Demyx screeched "We have our first order! Get your but in to the kitchen!"

Roxas chuckled to him self and sat down out side the small Café, placing the jar by his foot and started to tune the instrument, strumming playfully while he looked around the surroundings, a few people is a good enough start,

_"__I am a little bit of loneliness a little bit of disregard  
Handful of complaints but I can't help the fact that everyone can see  
these scars"_

Roxas closed his eyes and strummed the tune, singing whilst keeping in beat, listening out for the reassuring sound of money hitting plastic,

_"I am what I want you to want what I want you to feel  
But it's like no matter what I do, I can't convince you, to just believe  
this is real"_

A sound of foot steps coming closer made the blond pick up the pace and sing a bit louder and clearer,

"_So I let go, watching you, turn your back like you always do  
Face away and pretend that I'm not  
But I'll be here 'cause you're all that I got_"

Getting curios about the figure now standing above him, he opened his eyes and looked up,

"Hey, don't get distracted because of me" The man smiled, eyes glazed over, as if in a trance,

Something in Roxas voice hitched and he went numb, arms falling to his sides letting the guitar fall to the ground,

"Hey careful" The man picked up the instrument and handed it back to the blond " I don't want this to break"

Roxas nodded and took the guitar form the out stretched hands, his eyes studying the stranger before him.

The man was tall and extremely thin, his startling red hair sprang up in spikes that someone had attempted to tame down by a black hair clip on the side of his head,

"Thanks" He mumbled and brought the guitar back to its original place,

"Axel" He reached one hand out studying the blond through bright green eyes,

"U-um Roxas" He shook the large pale hand "You here for the café?"

What a stupid question to ask, he sighed mentally, well if he was one of those strange people who just like to walk up and down….

"Not really" he smirked and leaded against the wall "I came because I heard you"

"U-uhh…" He stuttered and felt his cheeks grow warm "Thanks…." He ventured

Axel smiled and pressed his hand to his head,

"Um are you okay…" Roxas stood up and peered in to the red heads eyes,

"Y-yeah, it's just… just…" Axel slurred as his face went deathly pale "Get Demyx!"

And then he collapsed,

"Well shit." Roxas clutched his hair in panic.  
_  
_


	2. Saviour

My Friends here at mine playing kingdom hearts 2 for the first time

My Friends here at mine playing kingdom hearts 2 for the first time .  
Ahh the memories.  
Any way, Yes another chapter my friends (well the people who actually read this tripe)  
Here's your update (:

If you hate "teh smex" Stop reading from where it says "Who the hell are you?"  
Kay?

But you might get a tad confused about what happened .  
Thanks for the Reviews and favourites!

A surge of panic welled over Roxas as he abandoned the red head to get help,

"Demyx!" He panted nearly colliding with the said person "This guy Alex or something just collapsed out side"

"Shit" He hissed and dropped the tray he had been holding noisily on a near by table, cursing under his breath as he sprinted to the door,

A group of people had surrounded the man, trying to wake him up,

"Okay people give the guy some room!" Demyx yelled, flapping his hands at some near by American tourists "Help me carry him in side, would you?"

Roxas nodded quickly and picked up the red head's feet,

"God, this Alex guy is freaking heavy" Roxas grunted and heaved him across the doorway,

"It's Axel, Roxas." Demyx groaned "And yes he's heavy, now lets just hurry up and get him in the back room"

Ignoring questions being fired at them from customers, the two blonds carried Axel in to the cramped back room, laying him carefully on a low table,

"Do you think we should call an ambulance?" Roxas whispered hesitantly

"Huh?" Demyx frowned "It's not that bad, he always faints... Glimpto something I think you call it"

Roxas merely nodded and decided not to ask more about it but distantly he remembered it only involving elderly people, he eyed the red head sceptically,

"How long he's going to be out for?" Roxas asked studying Axels wild hair and tattoos,

"Dunno... Around two or three more minuets" Demyx tapped a tune on the table "Stupid fool, I bet you he forgot to take his meds again"

"Is it that bad?" Roxas asked, now slightly concerned

"A bit..." Demyx looked at Axel quickly "Something happened when he was younger not really my place to say..."

"Damn right" A husky voice croaked out

"Axel!" Demyx jumped out of his seat "You okay buddy?"

"Yes I'm bloody well okay" he grumbled "great thing to be woken up by Dem, you bitching about me..."

"I-I um I mean..." Demyx scratched the back of his head

Axel laughed and ruffled his hair, studying the surroundings, his care free smile suddenly vanishing replaced with a frown,

"This isn't where i-." Axel mumbled and span around worriedly until he spotted Roxas clutching on to his guitar,

"Umm..." Roxas averted his gaze, unable to get the feeling he was being ex-rayed out of his head

"You!" He exclaimed and jumped over and bent down slightly so he would be nose to nose with the poor blond "I was watching you before I collapsed... wait... how do you know Demyx?"

Axel studied Roxas's appearance taking in his ripped black jeans and a slightly stained white button up shirt,

"U-uh..." Roxas had totally clammed up, he'd never really been this close with a stranger before

"He sings out side the Café" Demyx smiled, finally adding to the conversation "Been doing it for quite a while now, I met him near Trafalgar Square , singing, he and Spooky were," Demyx pointed to where the Dog was sleeping "Half starving, I couldn't let the talent go to waste so I made him sing out side here"

Demyx ended proudly and wrapped his arm around Roxas's narrow shoulders,

"Singing?" Axel sat back on the counter he was placed on "Half starved?"

"Yeah... um." Demyx looked over to Roxas, not sure to continue

"I'm Homeless" He said bluntly crossing his arms and scowling at the red heads shocked expression,

"Oh... well if you have nothing better to do" Axel smirked deviously "You can walk me home, just to make sure I don't collapse on the tube"

"Um, b-but I need to get money" Roxas stammered as Axel dragged him towards the main part of the Café,

"No problem" He smirked and reached inside his black trench coat and took out a twenty pound note "Here, take it, your singing was amazing you really deserve more but I don't have much at the moment"

"I don't need your charity" Roxas growled digging his heels in to the floor to prevent Axel dragging him any further,

"It's not" He said plainly "It's what you deserve and any way I'm stopping you earning any more for today aren't I?"

"I suppose..." Roxas mumbled and took the money

"Great" He smiled "Go get your dog and follow me"

Roxas nodded and quickly woke Spooky who happily barked and followed his master out of the Café,

"I'll see you tomorrow then Roxas" Demyx slapped him on the back merrily "Take care of him now Axel!"

"You not my freaking mother Demyx" Roxas chuckled and walked over to the man,

"Don't worry Demy, I'll take good care of him" He said happily and wrapped a arm around the blonds waist  
Roxas squeaked and shuffled away, hoisting his rucksack back on his shoulder,

"Hey, I don't bite" Axel pouted lighting up a cigarette,

"Much" Demyx added innocently

Axel snorted and walked away towards the near by underground,

"H-hey!" Roxas yelled and scowled at the back of Axel's retreating back "I'll see you soon Demyx"

"See ya!" Demyx waved vaguely, shuffling back inside the café,

"Axel!" Roxas panted, ignoring Spooky's joyful barking "Slow down! For god sake..."

"Ticket" He shoved a small orange slip in his face,

"Um, thanks..." He nervously took it "What do I do with it?"

Axel Rolled his eyes and motioned him to follow and watch, he put the ticket in a machine with two little mechanical doors that slid open as soon as Axel took the ticket out of a different slot,

"Come on, it's not that hard, just do what I did" Axel patted Spooky absentmindedly, the dog had snuck through the small gap in the doors,

Roxas nodded slowly and pressed the ticket in the slot, jumping back a bit when it apparently ate it,

"Okay now walk through quickly, don't forget your ticket idiot!" Axel pushed the blond back through the barrier,

"Okay, for god sake" Roxas grumbled and walked behind Axel as he climbed up a long flight of stairs "I don't_have_ to come with you, I don't particularly care if you pass out"

"That hurts Roxas" Axel pressed a hand over his heart and wiped away a fake tear,

The blond snorted and looked away, concentrating on the passing advertisements,

Lion king, Coke, Nike and other things flashed at him, wanting him to spend all his money on things he never really needed but suddenly wanted,

"Hurry up!" Axel grabbed Spooky and hoisted him over his shoulder, the little dog didn't mind much,

Roxas was quickly running out of stamina as he tried to catch up with the long strides the tall red head was making,

"Come on, in this train!" Axel let go of Spooky and grabbed Roxas, sprinting in to the open doors of the carriage,

finding two vacant seats both of them collapsed in to a sweaty out of breath mess,

"D-do you do this every d-day?" Roxas wheezed

"N-no" Axel leaned back resting against the window "Only today, your just too slow"

"I am not!" Roxas cried out indignantly

"Kid, that old woman was faster than you" Axel laughed and ruffled the boys hair

Roxas sighed and looked out the window, what in gods name made him come with Axel, how the hell is he going to find his way back to central London from where ever he lives, Roxas sighed again, I'll tackle that problem when it arises.

As Roxas sat down on the next train and he was getting extremely worried where the heck they were going, it seemed like they were miles out from London, like they had left the country altogether, there were very little buildings, more little houses built close together or big counsel estates packed full of washing and children's toys,

"Twilight" The calm recorded voice spoke as Axel dragged him out of the train doors,

It had already gotten dark, by now Roxas would have just finished his singing and be busy finding a park bench to sleep on,

"Come on, its just around here" Axel walked out of the entrance of the train station "Sunset hill, around ten minuet walk from Wimbledon centre, got it memorised?"

"Should I act like I know where that is?" Roxas grumbled fighting back the question he was really dieing to ask,  
Axel let out a bark of laughter and looked at the boy incredulously,

"You've never heard of Wimbledon before?" Axel's eyes twinkled "Wimbledon tennis?"

Roxas shook his head,

"God, what do they teach children these days" Axel sighed in mock depression "Come on this is it, follow me you un-educated child"

"I am not a child!" Roxas huffed

"Yeah, yeah, sure kid" Axel took his shoes off and dumped them by the door "Aren't you coming in?"

"But... I need to get back to the pa-," Axel put a finger on the blonds lips, cutting him of,

"I'm not that heartless, you can stay the night here" He closed the door and did up five locks "And any way, its not a nice place here at dark"

"I'vemanaged perfectly fine in the middle of London for three years thanks!" Roxas undid one of the locks "So I think I'll cope Axel, thanks for the offer, I'm of."

"No way." The red head stood in front of the door "think about Spooky, he might get lost in the dark, and plus, you don't even know your way back"

"I don't care!" Roxas cried out "I don't even know you Axel, I can't just stay in your house!"

"What if I don't care?" Axel yelled grabbing the boy by the shoulders and shaking him slightly "A seventeen year old should not be on the streets!"

"What the hell do you know!" Roxas lashed out violently and connected with Axel's knee "I'm going and if you try to stop me you'll loose more that your fucking knee!"

Roxas tore open the remaining locks and sped out of the house,

"Come on Spooky!" Roxas snarled

the little dog whimpered and stepped back further in to Axel's house,

"Fine!" He hissed and stormed off,

At night everything looks the same, but because he had got so used to navigating in London he could find his way blindfolded, but now... Roxas had totally forgotten witch way they went from the station, even the little remark about Wimbledon Park had been forgotten. Even though he was completely lost at ten O'clock in the night and all alone he was definately not going back to Axel.

Rapidly blinking, Roxas realised that he was completely lost, in the middle of a old deserted Counsel Estate, he span around trying to see where the exit was, but found none, he was now officially lost.

"Hey!" A deep voice yelled "Who the hell are you?"

Roxas span around and saw two tall guys, gripping cans of beer and stumbling slightly over the dead grass. A strong hand grabbed him and flung him to the floor,

"Hey Robbie, I think we can have some fun tonight" the mans voice slurred

He bent down and flipped Roxas on his back, his face crumpled up from the stench of booze coming from the man leering over him,

"Don't be shy" he whispered and stroked Roxas's cheek "Were all friends here, hmmm?"

The blond smacked the hand away in disgust, making the other men surrounding him laugh perversely,  
"Don't touch me" Roxas hissed trying to crawl away,

"Nu-Uh, your not going any where" he said pinning the boys arms above his head "Your on _my_ turf so you obey _my_ rules"  
Roxas's face paled slightly, what the hell was he going to do to him?

The man lowered his face and whispered in his ear so none of the other thugs could hear him,

"You're going to die here mate" He laughed, not sounding quite so drunk any more "Your going to be the first homeless person to die here, feel honoured"

Moving slightly he darted his tongue across Roxas's neck and bit down harshly making the boy yelp loudly,

"Oi, Matt, give me a gag or something" He motioned over a spiky black haired man to give him a scarf that he shoved in Roxas's mouth,

"Hey Dan, don't' kill him now" Matt slurred "We don't want the cops after us"

Dan just laughed harshly and ignored his friends warning.

His hands slipped under Roxas's shirt sliding up and down his soft pale skin, giving more attention to the boys nipples then he should have done,

"I don't know what I'm going to do Matt, lets just see"

He suddenly flipped Roxas on to his front ripping his shirt open in the process,

"Your going to enjoy this" Dan hissed "And don't you even think about fighting back"

He unbuckled Roxas's belt dragging his jeans down, hand slipping in to his boxers, stroking Roxas's length roughly.  
"Ahh" Roxas gasped sharply, his body reacting to the touches he never wanted,

"You're a slut aren't you?" Dan moved his hand and up and down, making a muffled moan escape from the blonds mouth "Reacting like this and you don't even know me"

The man continued to remove the rest Roxas's underwear, but before he could manage to pull it down completely a brick slammed in to his neck causing him to yelp out in pain and roll of and away Roxas's body,

"Get the fuck of him!" A dark form stepped in to a beam of light that was cast form a flickering light,

Roxas tried to yell out but the gag was preventing him making any illegible noise,

"I'm here kid" The tall red head picked the blond up off the floor and doing his jeans up while taking the gag out of Roxas's mouth "Your going to be all right now"

Roxas nodded, feeling wet tears streak down his dirty face, stepping back behind Axel's tall figure, the boy had never felt as safe as he did then.

"Marluxia, Xigbar, you know what to do" Axel let two other men run towards the terrified thugs,

"Thank you Axel" Roxas whispered,

"Any time kid" Axel smiled softly, ruffling his hair.


	3. Comfort

Sorry for the delay guys

Sorry for the delay guys!  
I have recently found a new series Called Twilight by Stephene Meyer, Vampires are the Sex :  
Enjoy my friends

- - - - - - - - - -

"Axel... I" Roxas wobbled slightly,

"Yeah," Axel frowned slightly "Are you okay Ro-."

Roxas shook his head, his pale features were tinged with green and his eyes had an odd glazed look upon them,

the dark surroundings seamed to get even darker and Axel's skinny figure came in and out of focus,

"Look I'll take you home now, the guys can cope... Roxas?" Axel shook the blond slightly,

the boys vision suddenly blanked out completely sending him toppling over and in to the arms of Axel, Roxas wasn't exactly heavy so he shifted his position slightly and hoisted him upon his back effortlessly. A light breeze that was oddly out of place at that particular moment ruffled Roxas's soft blond locks, sending leaves rolling around the two people with ease, the pale moonlight filtered through the clustered trees making things glow, this all seemed like a bad dream,

"What am I going to do with you kid?" Axel whispered chuckling half heartedly,

Roxas mumbled something and lent his cheek against the back of Axel's neck sending shivers down his spine. Axel sighed and flipped open his cell phone sending a quick text to Xigbar explaining his whereabouts and thanking them both for helping him out, satisfied on the message he hit the send button and started walking hurriedly back to his apartment, who knows what might be lurking in the places where even the moon wasn't brave enough to light up.

Keeping a tight hold upon Roxas, Axel kicked open his door and shimmied through the narrow hallway and up a flight of stairs to the spare bed room with a white single bed standing next to a big window, he laid the small boy on top of the soft mattress carefully, throwing a cover over him,

"Spooky" Axel called quietly and clapped his hands,

Spooky rushed in to the room and leaped on to the bed, curling up beside his master and whining softly,

"Shh, don't worry about him" He patted the dog gently "he's going to be fine"

Spooky licked Axel's hand affectionately and tucked his head under his paw contently,

"Rest now Roxas" Axel smiled grimly hoping that Marluxia and Xigbar crushed those little fuckers "Your never going to be alone again" He stroked a stray hair away from the blonds face, quickly whipping his hand away, getting attached to people is just... stupid, He'd never done it before so why now?

_He's vulnerable.  
He trusts you.  
You saved his life._

Axel growled attempting to drown out his conscience while stomping out of the room, he did not like the kid, he just pitied him as he was a seventeen year old kid living on the streets, and being three years older himself he could feel some compassion for him.

But he definitely, positively, absolutely did not like him.

Axel sighed angrily, this is one of the reasons he lived alone, why the spare room was called the _spare _room, why he had a one seating table, a dinner for one, he could go on.

The point was he couldn't stay, but how could he kick him out?

"What ever" he groaned as he threw himself on his bed,

Axel's eyes drooped involuntarily as started to fall asleep but before his mind could properly shut off his phone started to buzz loudly in his jeans pocket,

"What" He grunted

"Hey Axel!" Marluxia's happy voice vibrated in the phone "Just got home with Xig"

Axel let loose a string of swear words,

"Oh great, your calling me why?" Axel sat up stretching wincing when something popped

"Hello!" Marluxia shouted painfully loud "The guys me and Xigbar whent after"

"Oh right, how'd it go?" Axel sniffed,

"Ho- How did it- how did it freaking go!" Marluxia screeched indignantly "I saved that kids life while you did nothing and you just say that"

Axel heard something like Xigbar yelling in the background,

"Okay, I'm very proud of you Mar, what happened?"

"Well..." Axel groaned "One of them called me gay and I knocked him out, the other called Xigbar a middle aged pirate and I don't want to know what happened to him, the other one ran for it, he was the smart one" Marluxia chuckled sadistically,

"What about the one with the curly brown hair?" Axel asked suddenly interested,

"Oh he'd the one I knocked out, he was hurt pretty bad"

"Oh, that's all good then" Axel smiled slightly,

"Oh yeah Axel!" Marluxia yelled

"See ya Marly" Axel cut off his friends indignant huff as he hung up

"Bloody lunatic" Axel smiled slightly as he stripped him self of his jeans and shirt, getting in to bed just in boxers,

Reaching over to switch the lights off he herd a door creak slowly open and fast foot steps running towards his bed room,

"What the-?" Axel sat up as the door open, the light from out side filtering in to his dark room,

"A-Axel?" Roxas's voice whispered nervously "Are you in here?"

Axel rolled his eyes "yes Roxas I'm in here"

The blond padded his way to the side of Axel's bed shaking slightly,

"I-I umm what I mean is..." he stuttered

"Yes..." Axel noticed that the boy was sweating and breathing rapidly

"I was... is this house safe?" He sat down gingerly at the edge of the bed

"Safe?" Axel frowned "Yeah, remember all those locks"

"oh okay..."

They both sat in silence for a while, each struggling to ask a similar question they both dreaded to utter, it was easy but excruciatingly difficult to be defeated and proven week.

"Do you-,"

"Can i-,"

Roxas smiled apologetically "you go first"

"Do you..." Axel scratched his head "Want to sleep in here you might feel a bit scared of your own and...

"Iwasreallyworriedaboutyouonyourown" Axel rushed together the last sentence, his face going bright red

Roxas smiled gently "Thanks Axel" He climbed in to the bed, furthest away from the other man as possible  
"Night Roxas" Axel turned over again and closed his eyes

Roxas whispered something softly and was asleep in a instant,

"Night ki-," Axel suddenly jumped as something wrapped around his waist "What the hell!"

Axel turned around and was about to yell at the Roxas but then stopped, the kids face was calm and unworried, he hadn't known the blond for long but his face hadn't ever been relaxed it was always thinking of something or upset in some way, it was in some ways beautiful.

No, what?

He did not say that.

"Axel..." Roxas mumbled and clung closer to his warm body,

No. I cant, I'm not. I have restraint. I can just ignore him. I can-

Roxas sighed softly, tickling Axels chest with his breath,

Oh for fuck sake.

The tall red head lay back down and wrapped his longer arms around Roxas's small body,

"Your going to be the death of me kid" he sighed and fell asleep with out any other thought crossing is confused mind.

Sorry this is so messed up and un-edited and just bleh --  
I'm so tired but i just wanted to get this up...  
Yeah I'm sad.  
Thanks for reading!


	4. Hearts and Money

Oh my god.  
I am so sorry for taking so long updating this story, it's really gotten pushed to the back of my to do list, If I had one.  
Summer holidays eat away all of my spare time, I'm out every day with my friends.  
Unfortunately this might be the last chapter for a while, when school starts it's going to be hectic with my GCSE's and all.

Any way enjoy:  
Sorry about the short-ness...  
--

"And can you please tell me why were here?" Roxas scowled across the table,

"Spur of the moment" The taller man smirked "it's your fault for coming with me in the first place"

Spooky yapped and paced underneath the table "You dragged me here!" He exclaimed dropping some pancake on the floor,

"come on Rox, it was either some left over pizza with U.G.S (Unidentified green stuff) growing on it, or a eating out at Demyx café" Axel concluded

Roxas slumped down and moodily chewed the last of his pancake.

"_Roxas!" an heavy weight flung itself on top of the slight blond "Come on, get up, rise and shine!"_

"Axel..." the lump in side the deep red blankets moaned "Get the

fuck of me"

"No." he stated bluntly "now get up or I'll dress you my self and don't think I wont!"

"Fine!" Roxas hissed and sat up "Happy now?"

"Extremely" his expression softened slightly "how you feeling today?

Roxas sighed and dangled his feet of the side of the bed "a bit sore" he looked out side "I don't feel safe going out side to be honest"

"I wont let any one hurt you" Axel growled "Not while I'm around"

The boy's eye brows rose up slightly,

"I-I mean..."

"Don't stress your self" Roxas laughed "I'm going to get changed now, where are we going?"

"Oh... you'll see." Axel snickered

"Yeah but I didn't expect this..." The boy mumbled handing his plate to a groggy waitress

"What you say?" Axel asked

"Nothing" Roxas sighed and stretched out

"Are you okay?"

"For god-, will you stop asking me that!" he snapped picking up Spooky and holding him on his lap,

"Sorry, sorry..." Axel laughed awkwardly "Just worried"

"Come on Axel, it's not like were friends right?" Roxas scoffed

"Y-yeah no way!" he laughed overly loudly

Something clicked in Roxas's head, he started to gape at the red head "Your not joking are you..."

Axel let out a strange strangled noise as he began to object to the accusation,

"Hey guys!" a fair hand slapped Roxas's back energetically "Why you here so early?"

"Hey Demyx" Roxas smiled still keeping his eyes on the uncomfortable man before him "Breakfast obviously"

"So you are" Demyx laughed and plopped him self next to Roxas "what's up with you pyro?"

"I-I... nothing" he glared moodily at the table as different thought filterd through his head,

_Why should I care, he's just some homeless kid._

_It's not like I like him...  
It's not-_

"-El!"

"W-what!" Axel snapped out of his

"I said" Demyx huffed "Do you mind if Roxas goes out for a bit?"

"To do what?"

"Busk, duh" Demyx rolled his eyes and pointed to the empty seat next to him "your so slow today Ax"

"Sorry Dem, lot of things on my mind at the moment" Axel sighed and looked out side where already a number of people were gathering

"Like what?"

Axel looked at his friend sceptically crossing his legs on the sofa seat,

"Tell all" Demyx mirrored the redheads pose and  
smiled smugly,

Axel sighed massaging his temples, already a head ache at nine in the freaking morning,

"I'm getting attached Dem." He said grimly "you know I cant, you know if I do it-,"

"Axel" Demyx slammed a hand on the table "Stop it, please. You know there's a fifty percent chance that your going to-," the blond trailed off gritting his teeth

"See." The red head grunted "this is precisely the reason why I can't get attached to people"

"But what about me?" Demyx sniffed meekly

"Dem, I _met_ you in the hospital" Axel chuckled "As a six year old you were bloody nosey"

"Hey" the blond held both hands up in defence "You had wires and all sorts of crap stuck in you, how could I not be curious"

"And me having a box of cupcakes had nothing to do with it..." the man smirked

"I.." Demyx glared at his friend, cupcakes were all ways his weakness

"Ah you must have been attracted to my good looks then" Axel flicked his hair back

"Your good looks? You have to be kidding me, you looked like death warmed up"

Both men burst out laughing startling near by customers and shacking the table,

"Man..." Axel sighed and glanced out the window "The kid doesn't know what he's gotten in to"

Demyx snorted "Dude, you collapsed on him, he knows there's something wrong"

"I have a freaking hole in my heart" Axel sighed " I really don't think he could guess that"

"Demyx!" A smooth voice growled from somewhere "if I don't see fucking smiles on those fucking children's faces I'm going to fucking end you"

"Okay okay!" The blond yelled snatching his order pad of the table "Freaking Xemnas, I swear to god..."

"See you Demyx" Axel chuckled well aware of how bitchy his boss can get,

"Yeah, what ever" Demyx grumbled and almost gave the group of girls an heart attack when he slammed menus down on their table,

Suddenly a yell and sound of breaking glass sounded out through the little café making the startled girls shriek and Demyx jump shattering glass all over the floor,

"Get the fuck of me!" a familiar voice yelled

"Roxas!" Axel jumped out of his seat and shot out of the joint, eyes darting around to find the small blond,

"A-Axle" The boy squeaked, his air supply being cut off by a large hand,

"don't struggle midge" a lean man with silver hair snarled, pushing his face closer to Roxas's "It's what you deserve for trying to mug me"

"Hey mate" Axel taped on the on the mans shoulder,

"What?" he spat and turned his head around,

Axel took that opportunity to slam his fist as hard as he could in to the man's face, the satisfying crunch of cartilage under the red head's fist drew out a evil grin the mans face,

"What the fuck!?" he screeched and spat a load of blood on to the floor,

"Axel" A small hand tugged at his coat "he has my money"

"He- he took your money" Axel clenched his fist and stormed over to the growling man "Give it back"

He smirked "Give what back?"

The red head took in deep breaths so he wouldn't just rip out the guys hair there and then,

"His fucking money"

"I only have this" He held out an tattered white cloth purse

"Oh come on!" Axel yelled "Like you would be caring around a dirty purse like that"

"Wanna bet?" The man sneered,

"Riku!" a voice yelled out form the crowed "Just leave it!"

The man ignored the comment and waved the money in front of Axel's face "Why do you want it so badly" he laughed "Why do you give a damn about a homeless kid?"

"Because..." he trailed off frowning, a horrifyingly familiar sensation taking a hold of his heart and squeezing "Shit..."  
Axel's legs gave up under him gripping at Riku's shirt to soften the fall,

"Whoa!" the man jumped backwards and kicked the red heads hands away "Guys lets go!" he yelled legging it out of the crowed

"R-Rox" He gasped curling up on the floor crying out in pain "Hurry!" the surrounding faces blurred and the last face he saw was a tear soaked face of the only person he cared about the person who he shouldn't give a damn about.  
The person he-  
Every thing went black and the pavement he was curled up on felt like ice.

--

Thank you for reading every one!!  
And if ya love me please do my poll begs  
If every one hasn't given up on me that is...


	5. Deaths Door

Yaychapter five!  
I'm getting more and more in to this now, which is good for all, heh.  
Any way not much to say about this chapter really...  
Oh yeah! If any one want to know what condition Axel has just comment on this story and ill get back to you :D

1,000 views!  
Thank you so much :D

--

"Demyx!" Roxas screamed, not bothering to go and get the man "Please!"

The red heads normal pale complexion had gone a sickly grey colour, a faint trickle of blood running down the side of his mouth blending with his hair,

"Axel!" The older man yelled coming down next to Roxas "Come on man, wake up"  
Axel didn't move, looking more like a wax figure than a living human,

"Fuck..." Demyx grabbed the still mans mobile from his shorts and punched in three number "I need an ambulance. No, he just collapsed, he has a problem with his bloody heart okay?!" The blond rushed the address of the café and flipped the phone down,

"It's not like last time is it?" Roxas whispered,

"No, Zexion told me what happened out here" The older blond punched the pavement "That idiot, he new he shouldn't have..."

"I don't under stand Demyx," He croaked "Why?"

"He cares about you kid" Demyx pushed some hair out of Axels face "More than you know, I don't think he understands much himself to be honest"

Roxas didn't respond but just looked at the mans face, wiping the drying blood of his chin, why had a day made him care about someone so much?

"Roxas." Demyx looked around him "Where's spooky?"  
Panic washed over the blond, but he couldn't leave Axel.

"I'll look for him Dem, its fine" A hand squeezed the mans shoulder and the violet haird man gave Roxas a kind smile,

"The ambulance is here." Demyx stated hollowly And stood up,

The van screeched to a halt as two men jumped of the back snarling at every one to move out of the way,

"Axel!" A tall, skinny paramedic ran out of the van, he was vaguely familiar to Roxas, the man rushed over and checked Axel for any thing else than the obvious " Okay Vexen on the count of three"  
Both men heaved him on to the green stretcher and carried him in to the back of the van, Demyx and Roxasfollowing quickly,

"I'm afraid your going to have to- wait... your that kid from the park" The man with the eye patch gasped "Okay get in get in,"

He quickly told Demyx where Axel was being brought and dragged the boy in behind him,

"Drive" He grunted to the other paramedic

The loud sirens blared as the ambulance raced along the busy streets of London city,

"I-is he going to be okay?" Roxas murmured, eyes still not leaving Axels face,

"Well he's going to wake up if that's what you mean..." He snorted

Roxas's eyes moved up to the much older mans face, he had obviously seen better days, the surprisingly un-wrinkled face was damaged to say the least, a long scar stretched over one side of his jaw and cheak and an eye patch covered an apparently missing golden eye, what other wounds he had Roxas didn't want to know.

" It's Xigbar by the way."

Roxas didn't reply, his gaze still locked on to Axel's still face, you could think that he was asleep but the blond knew not to delude himself with stuped fantasies for the red head's health, every one in his life had left him for dead before so why couldn't Axel. It was obvious that the man was extremely sick, the first time he had met the him he had collapsed for crying out loud!

Seeing as Roxaswas obviously not going to reply Xigbar patted him on the back and walked over to where the monitors that were attached to Axel stood. He could see why he was so worked up that night; the kid was cute to say the least but... Xigbar was frightened, if the red head collapses one more time there's not going to be much the hospital can do for him, the poor kid, he doesn't have long left with Axel.

As the ambulance slowed down, Roxas clutched Axels hand tightly in his own, the two medics lifted him up and on to a gurney advising him to let got, Roxas took no notice. White doors flash past as the two man pushed Axel down a long corridor and in to a large room, immediately sticking needles in to his arms and checking all his vital signs,

"Your going to have to leave" The long blond paramedic glared down at Roxas,

"I'm not leaving him!" Roxas bristled,

"Kid, come on" A hand grabbed the boy's shoulder gently,

Roxas let go of Axel's hand reluctantly and lent down to whisper something softly in the mans ear,

"Come on, I'll bring you to the café and get you some food" Xigbar steered Roxas out of the room,

"Xigbar?" Roxas whispered "When will I be able to see him?"-

"When ever he's able to talk I suppose"

"When will that be?" The blond blinked slowly at the mans mangled face, scars no longer effecting him,

Xigbar winced, not sure how to reply to the question. Axel's condition was pretty bad and this had been the fifth visit to the hospital for the red head, once per month was normal but four times and over... the man should be dead already,

"Er... I'm not sure yet kiddo" He smiled and ruffled the boys blond locks "Don't worry about it dude, he'll be fine."

Roxas nodded and sat down on the hard blue seats out side Axel's room, number eight.

"Not hungry then?" Xigbar sat down next to the blond,

"If this is as close as I can get to Axel I'm staying here" he said leaning against the wall,

"Okay then" the man stood up "I'm going to check down stairs to see if that guy I gave the address to is here yet, you'll want to talk to him?"

Roxas nodded gratefully, he needed to speak to Demyx he was probably the only one who knew anything and would tell him a straight answer. Xigbar was a good guy, he could tell that much but he knew he wasn't being entirely truthful about Axel's condition.

As Xigbar walked down the hall and loud bang made the glass windows shake,  
"Excuse me Sir!" A female nurse yelled "Your not authorised to go in there"

Xigbar flattened himself again a wall and a lanky blond shot down the hall and skidded to a halt next to Roxas,

"Demyx!?" Roxas Looked at the flustered blond in amazement,

"S-screw hospitals man" he panted " That woman said there was no one called Axel here"

"He just came in a few minutes ago kid" A rough voice chuckled behind them,

Demyx bristled and span around "You!" Xigbarraised an eyebrow "you gave me the wrong bloody address, half the people I asked thought I was mad asking for the Roselandhospital, or did you for get!? It was closed down five freaking years ago!"

Xigbargaped at the blond "I gave you that one?"

Demyx hissed and sat next to Roxas "How is he?"

"I don't know" he replied quietly "they won't let me see him."

The older blond huffed and glared at Xigbar again "Of course, all doctors are wankers"

The older man chuckled and walked over to Axel's room "I like you kid, so I'll do the both of you a favour and tell you how he's doing"

"K-kid!?" Demyx spluttered "I'm like ten years younger than you!"

Xigbar just shook his head and walked in to the small emergency room,

"Ugh!" The blond crossed his arms and sat back in to his chair "what's he told you about Axle then?"

"He said that this isn't going to hurt Axel" Roxas willed himself to believe the mans words "that he's going to be okay"

"He lied" Demyx sighed "he's hasn't ever got this bad, even when he was stuck in the hospital for a year, he never fainted this much"

"Oh..." Roxas clenched the sides of the hard plastic chairs, he knew there was something more to the red heads illness that people were not telling him, he had just come to understand and even like Axel but... there wasn't long left was there?

"I'm afraid Roxas" Demyxwhispered "I don't know if he's going to livethis one out, he's got nothing to livefor nothing to try to live for, he hasn't got any one except me and you"

"isn't that enough?" Roxaschoked "what about his family?"

"His mother gave up on him, the hospital trips wore her down, I've never met his father" Demyxshook his head sadly "he's a bit like you in that sense actually"

Roxasnodded, yes he knew exactly how the red head felt but... would the looming prospect of dieing make him give up? If he was in Axel's place would he just wait until death took him?

"So..." Demyx coughed awkwardly "Do you know where your Parents are?"

Roxas smiled sadly "Trinity cemetery, Both of them"

"Oh..." Demyx looked away a red flush flitting over his cheeks,

"It's okay" the blond smiled slightly "I don't mind talking about it"

The elder nodded and crossed his legs "So... um,"

"How did they die?"  
Demyx nodded,

"My mother died giving birth to me, my father... he never got over it, he was convinced I had killed my mother on purpose, taking his pain out on me was his sense of pay back." Roxas smiled grimly "But a few years ago he lost it completely, he brought out a gun from somewhere and shot me in the arm. I wasn't moving so he obviously thought I had died, he set fire to the house before turning the gun on him self."

Demyx shifted uncomfortably and wished that he hadn't opened his big mouth,

"It's okay Dem, meeting Axel has sort of put every thing in to perspective, but... I would do anything to be in his place"

"Wha-." Demyx gawped at the smaller blond,

"I don't want him to die any more than you do, I know that" Roxas hugged him self "But you have other people that care about you, people that will make you happier... I only have him, a man that I've only know for two day Demyx! Two days!"

"You know Rox" the older blond stood up "I think that he wants to livebecause of you, before then he wanted to give up, he never called for me when he collapsed"

"I-." Roxas began, not quite sure how to reply when suddenly Axels room door slammed open as Xigbar sprinted out of the room calling for extra help,

Demyx grabbed on to Roxas's wrist and ran in to the white room "Axel!"

The red head was convulsing while doctors where trying to hold him down to keep him form causing harm to himself or others.

Roxas ran up to the side of the bed and slapped the hands holding the man down away,

"Axel" The boy whispered desperately "Please wake up."

The red heads body grew still and his eyes opened blearily, not really seeing anything,  
"Roxas?"

"Yes!" he cried "It's me Axel"

"I-I heard what you said in the Ambulance" He said hoarsely, smiling slightly,

Roxas blinked a few time a slight pink flush spreading on his cheeks,

"I do to" the man smiled and closed his eyes

"Axle?" Roxas frowned and faintly heard some loud beeps from the near by machines,

"I need a Defibrillator, now!" A doctor yelled and shoved Roxas out of the way,

"Kid you gotta' go now" Xigbar's rough voice whispered in his ear and he felt him self being lifted out of the room and put down in a different room

"Where am i?" He whispered,

"The main waiting room, you'll get in the way over there I'm afraid" The man patted Roxas on the shoulder and jogged back to Axel's room

"Demyx?" Roxas croaked "this is it, isn't it?"

The other blond moaned and put his head in his hands "I don't know..."

More medics ran past the two boys and Roxas felt all his hope disappear with them.

--

Defibrillator- The paddles that re-starts your heart.

Gahh, cliff hanger!  
School has started and I'm starting to write less and less because of all the coursework I'm getting chucked at me, and I have to go to freaking Saturday classes!  
Ahhh!  
So please comment this if you read this, even if it's just like "good chapter" or "Good luck!"  
Anything like that will keep me going (--)  
Oh, and please do my poll please!  
Thank you for reading (:


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